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NHS: Private Sector

Volume 479: debated on Monday 21 July 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions since 2001 the breach of a contract between NHS organisation and a private sector provider of clinical services has been referred to the courts; and if he will make a statement. (218200)

National health service organisations are legally distinct entities and the Department would not, as a matter of course, be involved in contractual disputes between them and private sector companies. The Department therefore does not collect information centrally on contractual disputes that are referred to the courts.

With regard to centrally procured contracts by the Department for clinical services under the Independent Sector Treatment Centre Programme, no breach of contract has been referred to the courts.